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CNN Live At Daybreak
Fifty Years on Top, Mount Everest Anniversary
Aired May 29, 2003 - 06:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Happy 50th. Sir Edmund Hillary becomes a Nepali citizen today because he was the very first man to reach the top of the world. Way back in 1953, Hillary became the first man to climb 29,035 feet up Mt. Everest. It took him more than 16 hours. So, today it's time to celebrate.
We take you live to Kathmandu and Satinder Bindra.
Good morning -- Satinder.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Yes, a great mood here, a very colorful atmosphere at Kathmandu's convention center. Inside the hall, several climbers, several summiteers as they are called here, people who have successfully climbed Everest, are being honored. And all of this week we've seen a climbing frenzy, everyone here trying to emulate the feat of Sir Edmund and Tenzing Norgay 50 years ago.
So, we've seen just this week alone about 140 climbers get to the top of the world. All sorts of records have been smashed. We've seen the youngest, the fastest and even the oldest to reach Everest in here in this convention center, where I am. A Nepalese icon, Appa Sherpa. Appa Sherpa has just come back from base camp, and he's climbed Everest 13 times.
Now, amongst all of the accolades, all of the celebrations, Carol, some concerns, environmental concerns that Everest is not the mountain it used to be. There's a lot of trash up there. Climbers have been leaving their equipment, and some adventurers also saying that Everest has become a very easy mountain. This, in their own words, it's become an easy mountain to climb. There are prepared ropeways, there are prepared pathways.
This morning, we also spoke to Jamling Norgay, the son of Tenzing Norgay, and he spoke about the true spirit in which his father and Sir Edmund reached the top of the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMLING NORGAY, SON OF TENZING NORGAY: I think my father, you know, and Hillary, they climbed for humankind. They were going into the unknown. They were explorers, and it was the passion that drove them to climb these big mountains. And they basically loved to be amongst the mountains, and I think that was one of the, you know, biggest inspirations they had, and they worked really well together as a team. (END VIDEO CLIP)
BINDRA: Now, these festivities continue. The royal family is involved. Some members of the royal family out greeting and facilitating climbers, and the festivities will conclude tonight, Carol, with a gala dinner.
Back to you now.
COSTELLO: It sounds exciting. Satinder Bindra live from Kathmandu, many thanks to you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired May 29, 2003 - 06:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Happy 50th. Sir Edmund Hillary becomes a Nepali citizen today because he was the very first man to reach the top of the world. Way back in 1953, Hillary became the first man to climb 29,035 feet up Mt. Everest. It took him more than 16 hours. So, today it's time to celebrate.
We take you live to Kathmandu and Satinder Bindra.
Good morning -- Satinder.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Yes, a great mood here, a very colorful atmosphere at Kathmandu's convention center. Inside the hall, several climbers, several summiteers as they are called here, people who have successfully climbed Everest, are being honored. And all of this week we've seen a climbing frenzy, everyone here trying to emulate the feat of Sir Edmund and Tenzing Norgay 50 years ago.
So, we've seen just this week alone about 140 climbers get to the top of the world. All sorts of records have been smashed. We've seen the youngest, the fastest and even the oldest to reach Everest in here in this convention center, where I am. A Nepalese icon, Appa Sherpa. Appa Sherpa has just come back from base camp, and he's climbed Everest 13 times.
Now, amongst all of the accolades, all of the celebrations, Carol, some concerns, environmental concerns that Everest is not the mountain it used to be. There's a lot of trash up there. Climbers have been leaving their equipment, and some adventurers also saying that Everest has become a very easy mountain. This, in their own words, it's become an easy mountain to climb. There are prepared ropeways, there are prepared pathways.
This morning, we also spoke to Jamling Norgay, the son of Tenzing Norgay, and he spoke about the true spirit in which his father and Sir Edmund reached the top of the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMLING NORGAY, SON OF TENZING NORGAY: I think my father, you know, and Hillary, they climbed for humankind. They were going into the unknown. They were explorers, and it was the passion that drove them to climb these big mountains. And they basically loved to be amongst the mountains, and I think that was one of the, you know, biggest inspirations they had, and they worked really well together as a team. (END VIDEO CLIP)
BINDRA: Now, these festivities continue. The royal family is involved. Some members of the royal family out greeting and facilitating climbers, and the festivities will conclude tonight, Carol, with a gala dinner.
Back to you now.
COSTELLO: It sounds exciting. Satinder Bindra live from Kathmandu, many thanks to you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
